Page 68 of Primal Dragon

Henrik paused and watched her pace the cabin. “What’s so crazy about it? I think we make a pretty good team.”

She stopped and eyed him curiously. “In some things. In others we’re a fucking disaster.”

“Like what?”

Quinn approached him. “I don’t want you to choose me because of a stupid rock.”

Henrik let out a heavy breath. “I’m not choosing you because of a rock.”

Silence drifted between them. “What does that mean?”

“I want to claim you, Quinn. I want you to be mine. I don’t care if you’re wearing my heartstone or not.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“That’s fair. I’ve been so scared to get you killed. But the fact of the matter is, you were wrapped up in this long before we ever met. I have no right to keep you out of this fight. And I don’t want to.”

“Your dragon…”

“My dragon freaked out because you’re not claimed. If you died, I’d be forced to live without you.”

She blinked at him. “That’s a bit too Romeo and Juliet for me. It’s not romantic.”

“It’s not romantic, it’s just the way dragon mates work. Once you’re claimed, your lifelines are connected. If one of you dies, the other dies.”

“Wow. Harsh.” She glanced around the room looking for another exit.

“Why are you scared?”

She threw her arms up in the air with a loud exasperated sigh. “Are you kidding me?”

She put her hands on her hips. “You’re a prince dragon shifter who is trying to save his clan and probably the world by getting rid of evil like Stefano and Grey. My own family disregards me as some sort of mistake they wish they could have a do-over with. But you and your handsy dragon have decided that I’m some wonderful pick? Why? James went missing on my watch. You nearly got shish-kebabbed by a murder of vampires while saving twenty women. If all of that wasn’t enough, you stop in the middle of a snowstorm to save a kitten from hooligans in the middle of the night. You make Captain America look like a deviant. And you do it all while saying the dirtiest, hottest things I’ve ever heard and the way you touch my body…for fuck’s sake. Where the hell did you come from? Why can’t you just be a normal douchebag who tells me I have a fat ass?”

Henrik took a step toward her knowing it wouldn’t take much more for him to have to touch her and then it would be all over. “Sweetheart…”

She pointed at him and took a step back. “No. I’m serious, Henrik. It’s illegal for you to be with me. Your brother is faced with losing the throne because of his mate. What about your family? Your clan?”

“If our clan won’t accept me and my mate or Ash and his mate, then the clan can go fuck themselves. We’re walking hypocrites if we say the heartstones will lead us to our fate, and then say, nope sorry, your heartstone clearly wants you to be miserable and rot in a prison.” He took another step toward her.

“Why do you want me to be with you?”

“Aside from the fact that you’re fucking incredible? Your bravery. Your loyalty. It’s unflappable. Your strength of character. You wow me every second of the day. I can’t take my eyes off you. And when we’re alone I want to have my hands all over you. I wanted you the second I saw you in the clinic and you were exhausted from your overnight shift. Then as I got to know you, I…” Henrik couldn’t back down. He couldn’t stop himself this time. He moved right in front of her and dropped to his knee, so he was looking up at her. “I fell so hard for you.”

She gasped, her eyes welling with tears. “Henrik, don’t.”

“Don’t?”

She shook her head, allowing the errant tears to stream down her beautifully pink cheeks.

“Why not, sweetheart? You deserve the world and I want to give it to you.” His chest ached seeing the distress on her face, almost like she was in pain. “I want to make you mine. What do I have to do?” He reached for her hand and gently tugged her toward him until she was sitting on his extended thigh.

She immediately buried her face into the crook of his neck and let out a muffled sob. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the couch. He sat down with her in his lap and held her while she cried. He didn’t entirely understand why she was crying, but it didn’t matter. He would hold her and soothe her until she stopped.

After a while, her crying turned to sniffles and then she seemed to have dried up. He stroked her back and held her securely to him, making sure she felt warm and safe.

Finally, she drew back quickly grabbing a few tissues off the table next to the sofa. He waited for her to say something. He wasn’t in any hurry. Holding her close was all that he needed. He could wait forever for her if he could hold her.

Once she’d gathered her wits about her, she settled back down against him and met his eyes. “I think I needed a good cry.”

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